ADI 
ADI 
and where the surrounding earth has been 
dryer than usual, it is sometimes semitrans- 
parent, of a granulated texture, brittle, and 
bears a considerable resemblance to wax. 
Animal matter having once passed into this 
stage of decomposition, appears to resist for 
a long time any farther alteration: some of 
these pits that had been closed above 40 
years, were, upon examination, found to be 
little else than a solid mass of soapy matter ; 
nor is it yet ascertained how long in common 
circumstances it would continue unchanged, 
the burial ground of the Innocens being so 
small in comparison to the population of the 
district, as to require each pit in 30 or 40 
years to be emptied of its contents, in order 
to receive a new succession of bodies : it 
appears, however, that the ulterior changes 
depend in a great measure on the quantity 
of moisture draining through the mass. From 
the history of this singular substance, we 
proceed to an examination of its chemical 
properties. It was first, however, purified by 
gently heating in an earthen vessel, till it 
became of a pasty consistence, and then 
rubbed through a fine hair sieve, by which 
means the hair, small bones, and remains of 
the muscular fibre were separated with to- 
lerable exactness. In this state, being ex- 
posed in an earthen vessel to the naked fire, 
it readily became soft, but did not liquify 
without considerable difficulty, rather frying 
as a piece of soap would do, and disengag- 
ing at the same time ammoniacal vapours. 
Four pounds being put into a glass retort, 
and submitted to slow distillation in a water 
bath, afforded in the space of three weeks 
eight ounces of a clear watery fluid, with a 
foetid odour, turning syrup of violets green, 
and manifestly containing ammonia in solu- 
tion ; the soapy matter remaining in the re- 
tort had acquired a greater consistence, was 
become less fusible, of a deeper brown co- 
lour, arid upon cooling, was evidently drier 
than before, though not admitting of being 
broken. Eight ounces of soapy matter, 
white and purified, were mixed with an 
equal weight of powdered quick lime ; on 
the addition of a little water, the mass heated, 
swelled, and disengaged a very strongly am- 
moniacal vapour, accompanied by a peculiar 
putrescent smell: a sufficiency of water 
being then added to bring the whole to the 
state of an emulsion, it was heated to ebul- 
lition, much ammoniacal vapour escaping 
at the same time ; the liquor being thrown 
on a filter, passed perfectly clear and colour- 
less, and appeared to be only lime-water, 
with a very small quantity of soap in solu ■ 
tion: the matter remaining on the filter, 
being well washed, was beaten up w'itli wa- 
ter, but showed no tendency to unite with 
it, subsiding after a time, in the form of a 
white mass ; this by drying for a few days in 
the open air, became grey and much re- 
duced in volume : it was then mixed with 
diluted muriatic acid, which immediately 
decomposed it, and a number of white clots 
rose to the surface of the liquor. This last 
being obtained clear by filtration, yielded 
crystals of muriat of lime and a slight trace 
of phosphoric salt; the white clots being 
washed and dried, and afterwards melted in 
a water bath, cooled into a dry, combustible, 
oily matter, brittle, waxy, crystallizable, 
and perfectly insoluble in water, to which 
the name of adipocire has been appropriated. 
From this series of experiments with lime, it 
appears that the soapy matter is a true am- 
moniacal soap, with a base of adipocire, to 
which lime has a stronger affinity than am- 
monia ; but. which last composition is again 
in its turn decomposed by all the acids, 
leaving the adipocire in a state of purity. 
Potash and soda produce effects perfectly 
analogous to those of lime. To the fore- 
going experiments of Fourcroy, a few facts 
have since been added by Dr. Gibbes. The 
receptacle at Oxford for those bodies which 
have been used by the anatomical professor 
there for his demonstrations, is a hole dug 
in the ground to the depth of thirteen or 
fourteen feet, and a little stream is turned 
through it, in order to remove all offensive 
smell : the flesh contained in this was found, 
on examination, to be quite white, and for 
the most part changed into the soapy matter 
above mentioned. From this hint, pieces of 
lean beef were enclosed in a perforated box, 
and placed in running water, and at the end 
of a month were found converted into a 
mass of fatty matter ; this change was ob- 
served to take place much sooner and more 
completely in running than in stagnant wa- 
ter : in order to get rid of the foetid smell, 
nitrous acid was had recourse to, which im- 
mediately had the desired effect; a waxy 
smell was perceived, and by melting the 
matter it was obtained nearly pure; the 
yellow colour, which had been given to it 
by the nitrous acid, was wholly discharged 
by the oxymuriatic acid. A similar con- 
version of muscular fibre takes place by ma- 
ceration in very diluted nitrous acid. Dr. 
Gibbes has not mentioned whether the fatty 
matter produced by running water is pure 
